Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-02-12
THE CASHIERS STORY.
BY ALFRED h. TozER.

BY ALFRED b. TozER.
II have tried time and again to reason
myself out of it. l don't like the idea o.
gong through life acknowledging that
lam indebted to the supernatural for my
very existence. l have never believed
IN the supernatural. am not going tc
believe in 1t now il II can find any othel
way Of accounting for my being here
instead Of at the foot of gravestone ouI
on the hill yondcr."
We had been discussing spiritualism
before the opeu fire in Charley's room.
and had drifted from arguments on the
condition of the dead to the relation oi
incidents of a mysterious character in.
duenclng the lives of the living.
Il don't like to figure as q creature OF
the mysterious" Charley continued,
'becausc it seems to commit me to be.
lleI IN a. sorts of outlaudish and un.
natural things-to incloso me in an at.
mosphere altogether unearthly; but nv
only relief seems to lie in an utter re.
pudiatlon of an occurrence too real and
too productive OF practical results to be
repudlated, so you see am in good
deal of mess over it,
Now, Charley is one of the most mat
er-of-fact of men. At the down town
bank where he holds the position OF
Cashier, such an admission on his part
would have produced o sensation In
the familiar circle where he sat that night
it only provoked curiosity. This curl
oslty he at once proceeded to satisfy be-
ginning with an abrupt question:
'Do you remember the night of the
18th of March2'
No one seemed to remember, for no
one answered.
''Thats singular, he said, after mo.
ment's silence. cat the same time YOU
all took great interest in at least one
of the occurrences of that night. Irefer
to the attempted bank robbery"
; Gtrtainly We all remembered that
We had simply failed to locate it on the
date given--the night of tho 10Th of
March.
'Well, when left the bank that even
ing" Charley continued, II was accom-
panied by Dick Munson, the paying-tell-
era pale, nervous little fellow, with o
memory for faces and signatures almost
phenomenal, and an instructive ability
to detect fraud. We stopped On the
bank-steps for moment to speak to a
customer. and then passed on up the
street together. His rooms are about half
C mile further out thaa mine, and when
We were kept at the bank later than US
ual, as on that occasion, we frequently
dined together at neat little restaurant
not far from my chambers. We did so
that night, occupying table alone in q
small alcove from which window
looked out upon side street.
''Wc were well through the meal, when
Dick called my attention to the figure of
man standing on the outer edge of the
walk, and facing across the side street.
"'Do you remember having seen that
person before this evening9' he asked.
II glanced up carelessly, and replied
shat, to the best of my recollection, l
then saw the man for the first time.
. Then, he added, nervously, note
some peculiarly in dress or attitude. SO
you will know if You sec him again
Wait; the face is the best index. He
may turn this way in a moment."'
,'As though influenced by our rigid
scrutiny, the man on the walk turned al
most before Dick had done speaking,
and faced the window where we sat.
. Don't look now" Dick said, turning
his own eyes away. He is watching US.
When you do look, notice the upper
portion of his face. People Of his kind
usually point out their peculiarities by
trying to hide them. Look sharp under
the rim of the slouch hat he wears for
some distinguishing mark
'Whilc the teller was speaking, l
caught a full view of the mans face.
The eyebrows were very thick and black,
and came close together. There was no
arch to speak of, and the general effect
was that of straight, unbroken line
crossing the lower forehead. 1t was q
fGce not easily forgotten.
rT thought you would find some.
thing there, Dick said, when told him
what had seen. i was not quick
enough to see the fellows face, but !
should have known him anywhere. He
stood in front of the bank steps when we
stopped there tonight, and has kept us
in sight nearly all the way up. Unless
he is frightened off we shall hear from
him before long
Il laughed heartily at Dicks view of
the matter, and nothing more was SAID
on the subject until we reached my
rooms. Then, placing his hand on my
arm, he exclaimed:
~ can't get over what We were talk
ing about at the restaurant. can't get
that slouching figure on the edge of the
= =
YOU once more to look sharp for that face
wherever you go. Goodnight.
"He was of before colld make any
reply, and ] went on upstairs, laughing
quietly ct what considered the nervous
fears Of tired-out and naturally sus-
piciou' man.
"On my sitting room table ! found a
note reminding me of on important en-
Raeement in another part Of the city, and
LEFT huniedly. To this day the janitor